Excerpt from Republican Imperialism Is Not American Liberty

The designation United States, implies associated individuality. If the name State of America had been preposed in the Constitution, it would doubtless have been rejected with unanimity. To such a conclusion we must come from the events attending its formation and adeption which led to the express declaration that the enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained, in addi tion to that before quoted, declaring that the powers not delegated, are re served to the States. No one can acquaint himself with the history of that period without conceding the fact that the various States which by the De claration of Independence had proclaimed that they are, and of right ought to be, free andiudependent States, and which by the treaty of peace with Great Britain, were acknowledged to be free, sovereign and independent States, could not by the provisions of the Constitution have intended or per petuated an act of self destruction; casting themselves, at the moment when ennobling realities were clustering around them, elated by the pride of separate existence and sovereignty, and with bright promises within reach, upon a sea of doubt and uncertainty, where others, as time might develope of antagonistic views and interests, might have power to determine their course and shape their destiny, without even the poor privilege being left of parting in peace though ruin might threaten to engulf them. It is not surprising that fanati cism should be blind to truth, and regardless of justice; and a knowledge of mankind teaches that self-interest often incapacitates persons fer applying the plainest maxims of moral right; but it may well excite astonishment that men of fair sense and intelligence in the general affairs of life, and uninfluenced by any apparent unworthy purpose, should frequently fail to perceive, and be ruled by the principles of political equity and right which underlie the ques tion of government. And that they should even be sometimes unreasonable and inconsistent enough to believe, or profess to believe, that others have been guilty of an extreme of folly which, even to meditate in their case, would call for the restraints of a lunatic asylum. This is the mildest commentary that can be made on the argument of the centralists, that the Union cannot contemplate its own destruction; while they. Imply that the sovereign States did provide for theirs - an implication which is sufficiently refuted by the au thority of the great names to which reference has been already made, and the incorrectness of which is further shown by the letter of Washington to the Virginia convention in reference to the probable danger of reclaiming delegated powers, in which he says In resuming your sovereign powers, &c. The passage is singularly significant, for it grants both the existence of sovereign powers, and the right of resumption of them. No one will deny to Washing ton the proudest pre-eminence of patriotism in the annals of his country it rested on unfaltering virtue, and unchanging truth. There stands his testi mony. Dare any one impeach it?

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